Yaya Touré criticizes CAF Award choices

Yaya Touré has hit out at officials for undervaluing their own continental competition when considering players for CAF awards.

The Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder failed to win the award for a fifth year in a row despite captaining Ivory Coast to victory in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, with Borussia Dortmund and Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang claiming it instead.

“I am very, very disappointed. It’s sad to see Africa react like this, not giving any importance to African (competitions),” the 32 year-old told French radio station RFI.

“I think it brings shame on Africa. It is indecent. What can we do? We, Africans, we do not show that Africa is important in our eyes. We prioritise external achievements over our own continent. It is lamentable.”

Despite his comments that were perceived as bitter by some, Touré was quite complimentary of Aubameyang who has scored 26 goals in 26 appearances at club level.

“I’m quite disappointed, but I don’t want to complain too much. I just want to give credit to Aubameyang – you’ve been doing brilliantly well this year.”

Michael Saad is an Egyptian-Canadian living in Toronto. A lifelong supporter of Zamalek through family inheritance, he covers the White Knights on KingFut and monitors the progression of the Egyptian national team carefully. Outside of Egyptian football, he is a passionate Arsenal and Toronto FC fan.